Benefit brownies

I have to admit that my opinions can be influenced by Facebook posts, political claims, advertising, and even fiction. Try as I might to verify claims, I know I'm being bombarded by half-truths, outright lies, and advertising spin every day. As a ... let's see ... conservative democratic socialist? Yeah, pretty much. As a CDS, I react to claims that the federal budget doesn't provide enough for people in need, and in fact spends hundreds of times as much on military as it does on aid to citizens.

Should we cut military spending? Probably, but gradually, and maybe look at reducing stuff they buy rather than people they hire. They're the Pentagon -- they can negotiate prices fer cryin' out loud.

Should we increase emergency assistance spending? Maybe. But there is room for the private sector to help more, too, on a local level. Better coordination among all the programs would save a pile of money.

Are unverified immigrants (I refuse to call people "illegal") to blame for our overspending? Of course not.

​Where should we cut the budget, then? Tax breaks! Now, we don't have to go making all the rich people mad by taking away their favorite deductions. But we do have to take a good hard look at the tax breaks that still exist, even though their purpose and usefulness have long since expired.

Being a citizen in a free democracy carries some responsibility, and it's not just voting. It requires being informed. Please research the tax code, especially breaks that have been written in and never removed. We can save the country a bundle by writing to our elected officials and letting them know where practical cuts should be made. Government is not going to fix the budget -- they have very little motivation to do so. It's going to take all of us.